Madeira creates largest protected marine sanctuary in North Atlantic

Sunday, 07 Jan, 2022 1

Madeira announced that The Savage Islands (Ilhas Selvagens) will extend its marine reserve to 12 nautical miles around the islands.

This development will create the largest fully protected marine sanctuary in the Northern Atlantic and Europe.

This coincides with the 50th anniversary of these remote islets becoming a nature reserve, situated 280 km south of Madeira’s main island. It was one of the first protected areas in Portugal.

All species inside the reserve are fully protected from fishing and other extractive activities.

Researchers from Oceano Azul have teamed up with the Waitt Foundation and National Geographic Pristine Seas to conduct scientific research, which back the needs for a reserve.

The Savage Islands are rugged and inhabited only by rangers but are an important nesting point for the Atlantic’s largest breeding colony of Cory’s Shearwaters and also home to the endemic Selvagens Gecko.

This recent announcement follows the recognition of Porto Santo as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in November 2020, both on land and sea.

Porto Santo is the second largest island in the Madeiran Archipelago and is home to around 2,110 species, including 15 endemic to the island.

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